The chase for the 2026 World Series title begins with a wild-card quadrupleheader on Tuesday, September 29, and runs through a potential Game 7 on Halloween night — the earliest the Fall Classic has wrapped in years, with no games slipping into November this time around.
Full 2026 MLB Playoff Schedule
Wild Card Series (Best of 3)
- Game 1: Tuesday, Sept. 29
- Game 2: Wednesday, Sept. 30
- Game 3*: Thursday, Oct. 1
Division Series
- Game 1: Saturday, Oct. 3
- Games 2-5: October 4 through October 10 (as needed)
League Championship Series
- ALCS Game 1: Monday, Oct. 12 (TBS)
- NLCS Game 1: Sunday, Oct. 11 (FOX/FS1)
World Series (FOX)
- Game 1: Friday, Oct. 23
- Game 7 (if necessary): Saturday, Oct. 31
*Game played only if necessary.
Who’s Heading to October?
On the National League side, the Milwaukee Brewers, Los Angeles Dodgers, Atlanta Braves and Chicago Cubs have all but locked up their playoff spots, with the real drama coming down to seeding and the wild-card races behind them — the Philadelphia Phillies, San Diego Padres and Arizona Diamondbacks are among the teams jostling for the final berths. In the American League, the Tampa Bay Rays, New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox have been steady frontrunners through the stretch run.
Oddsmakers currently list the Dodgers as favorites to complete an unprecedented three-peat — a feat no franchise has managed since the Yankees’ 1998-2000 dynasty run — with the Yankees, Brewers, Braves and Red Sox rounding out the top contenders.
How to Watch
The Wild Card round airs exclusively on NBC and Peacock, the ALDS and ALCS move to TBS, the NLDS and NLCS air on FOX and FS1, and every World Series game will be broadcast on FOX.
Football fans have plenty to watch this same weekend too — check our NFL Week 4 2026 preview for the Broncos-49ers headliner. And once the World Series wraps, the NBA picks up the baton — see our NBA 2026-27 Opening Night preview for what’s coming next.
